Tobacco feed to cigarette machine



April 5, 1966 o. E. EISSMANN TOBACCO FEED TO CIGARETTE MACHINE Original Filedv Dec. 21, 1962 INVENTOR OSWALD ERICH EISSMANN ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,244,182 TOBACCO FEED TO CIGARETTE MACHINE Oswald Erich Eissmann, Richmond, Va., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Continuation of application Ser. No. 246,437, Dec. 21,

1962. This application Aug. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 393,476

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 131-64) This invention is a continuation of my application Serial No. 246,437 filed December 21, 1962, and now abandoned, for a Tobacco Feed to a Cigarette Machine and claim is hereby made to all the equitable and legal benefits derivable from said fact.

This invent-ion relates to an improved machine for making cigarettes.

An important characteristic of cigarettes of good quality is uniformly well packed tobacco therein. One factor of large consequence in producing cigarettes having this characteristic is the use of tobacco having a maximum of long strand-s and a minimum of small particles, or fine, as it is known in the art, together with dust and small broken fragments.

Tobacco leaf, as is well known, is fragile, tending to disintegrate as a consequence of handling and processing. In order to minimize this, it is desirable :to reduce the handling and operational steps in cigarette manufacture to a minimum.

One of the factors which causes the greatest difiiculty in producing well packed cigarettes is the tobacco cutting, or shredding, operation because of the fact that, incident to the cutting operation, as now generally performed 1n the industry, there is produced, in addition to tobacco shreds of satisfactory length, a certain amount of tobacco fine and a certain amount of tobacco dust and of small broken fragments. Further, and of equally harmful effect, on the size of the tobacco pieces produced, is the breakage of the fragile tobacco leaf caused by the operation steps which are currently required to be performed 1n preparing the tobacco for the shredding operation and in treating it thereafter to attain a condition suitable for formation of the shreds into a cigarette rod. The reason for this is that at the beginning of the actual cigarette manufacturing operation, when the tobacco is ready for processing into a cigarette, its moisture content is between ten percent and twelve percent, generally about eleven and one-half per-cent. However, with the shredding mechanism which is currently used in the industry, it is not possible to shred tobacco of such low moisture content satisfactorily. Before shredding, the moisture content must be raised to about sixteen percent, and after shredding the moisture content must be again reduced to between ten percent and twelve percent, preferably to about eleven and one-half percent, to make it suitable for the cigarette rod forming operation. Even when the shredding is performed at the sixteen percent moisture content level, by the mechanism currently employed in the industry, an undesirable quantity of fine, and small broken particles are produced. This fine, and broken particles, as stated, then ten-d to hinder'the formation of a well packed cigarette and part of it which is localized near the unlighted end, tends to be drawn into the smokers mouth, thus interferring with smoking enjoyment.

In order to raise the moisture content, to about sixteen percent, and then to restore it preferably to about the eleven .and one-half percent level, it is necessary to perform certain operations each of which exacts a penalty in the reduction in size of a portion of the ultimate particles. These steps involve running the tobacco through the tobacco ordering cylinder-s, to add moisture to the tobacco, prior to cutting and then running the tobacco through the drying cylinders to reduce the moisture con- 3,244,182 Patented Apr. 5, 1966 tent, to prevent the tobacco in the ultimate cigarette from becoming moldy. Finally the tobacco is run through cooling cylinders, to bring it down from the higher temperature used in dry-ing to normal ambient temperature.

In addition to the harmful effect upon the size of the tobacco particles produced, it is ObVlOllS,'Of course, that in order to perform the additional operations required to raise the moisture content of the tobacco from the level of about ten to twelve percent, generally from about eleven and one-half percent, preferably to about sixteen percent, as is now done in the industry, and to thereafter restore it to about the eleven and one-half percent level for formation into a cigarette rod, a considerable amount of expensive machinery is required which will be eliminated as a result of the present invention. This machinery includes the ordering cylinders, employed for raising the moisture content, the drying cylinders and the cooling cylinders. The first cost, the cost of operation and maintenance of this equipment, the cost of the floor space for the machines, the cost of storage space for the tobacco incident to these operations, and the wages of the personnel necessary to control the operations, taken together represent a significant part of the cost of cigarette manufacture. The present invention eliminates the ordering cylinders, the drying cylinders, the cooling cylinders, and all expense thereby involved. Further, it eliminates the impairment of the tobacco associated with these operations as well as in the shredding operation per se.

For a description of the operations currently involved in the preparation of tobacco for use in cigarettes, reference is made :to US. Patent 2,827,058 granted March 18, 1958, to S. Bogaty and to British Patent 440,482 granted December 27, 1935, to Arthur Podmore.

According to the present invention there is provided a machine in which the tobacco pieces, having a moisture content of about ten to twelve percent, are distributed in a substantially uniform layer on a horizontal feed belt, the output end of which overlies the input between two downwardly directed feed belts which are slightly tapered toward their output. The mechanism is preferably operated at such a rate as to maintain the height of the tobacco column between the two downwardly directed belts at a uniform level. The tobacco is gently compacted as it moves downwardly, as a consequence of the tapering of the two belts toward the outlet between their lower extremities. Iuxtaposed the output, is a microtome operating at high speed. After a relatively thin slightly compacted layer of tobacco has been projected through the outlet, it is severed by the microtome and deposited on a web of paper carried on a belt moving in a substantially horizontal plane immediately below the plane of severance of the tobacco layer. The rate of projection of the tobacco through the opening between the belts, and of severance of the layers, is such that the severed layers are deposited in shingled array on the paper with the end extremities of the individual layers spaced at about onequarter inch between each layer and the next succeeding layer. The severed tobacco layers consist of a significantly increased quantity of the desirable long shreds with an almost negligible amount of fine, dust and small broken fragments, as compared with the amounts of each produced by current methods. The shingled tobacco stream is then directed immediately into the conventional cigarette rod former. The material increase in the quantity of the desirable long tobacco shreds, and the corresponding reduction in the amount of the undesirable fine, dust and small broken fragments practically eliminates the problem of non-uniformity in packing and, of course, greatly reduces the quantity of small tobacco particles in the cigarette and the frequency with which such particles may be drawn into the smokers mouth, thereby contributing to the smoking'enjoyment.

It is considered that it was heretofore not realized that greatly increasing the speed of shredding of fragile tobacco leaf would reduce the quantity of fine, dust and small broken fragments resulting. Further, it was heretofore not realized that successive thin layers formed of a number of slightly compacted sections of fragile tobacco leaf, when severed at the outlet between the downwardly moving belts, at the rate of 45,000 cutting strokes per minute, for instance, by a cutting element moving at a speed of 300 to 600 linear feet per second, might be deposited in orderly shingled orientation on a Cigarette paper. One might reasonably expect to obtain a larger quantity of the undesirable fine, dust and small broken fragments from increasing the speed of cutting and that the severed tobacco would be scattered at random rather than deposited in orderly shingled array.

Microtomes have been widely employed heretofore to sever ultra thin slices of material from a relatively large solid, undivided, continuous mass thereof. So far as is known, however, they have not been employed to sever a layer from a gently compacted mass of relatively fragile leaf. And, so far as is known, they have not been employed to sever such layers of tobacco having a moisture content of about eleven and one-half percent at high frequency and to deposit the severed layers in an orderly oriented array on a web moving at high speed, and, so far as is known, no one has heretofore proposed that th combination of a microtome with the other elements taught herein would make it possible to eliminate steps long followed in the industry, because the microtome could be employed to sever the tobacco directly without the necessity for first increasing its moisture content to condition it for cutting and thereafter reducing its moisture content to condition it for rod forming.

These and other features of the invention may be understood from the following description when read with reference to the associated drawings, which taken together disclose a preferred embodiment in which the invention is presently incorporated. It is to be understood, however, that the invention may be incorporated in other forms which may be suggested to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective diagrammatic view showing a mechanism embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective of an alternative cutting assembly for the cutting assembly in the microtome shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective of another alternative cutting assembly for the microtome shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a sideelevation, partly broken away, showing a cigarette manufactured in accordance with the invention.

The invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1. The perspective FIG. 1 is diagrammatic. The driving mechanism for the various components in FIG. 1 is omitted for the purpose of clarity. In FIG. 1, a belt 1 is driven by a driving roller 2 over a driven roller, not shown. A substantially uniform layer of stem-free pieces of tobacco largely of about the same predetermined size is assembled on belt 1. The output end of belt 1 is positioned so that it delivers the tobacco pieces 3 over the input formed between the spaced vertical continuous belts 5 and 6. Belt 5 operates over rollers 7 and S and belt 6 over rollers 9 and 10. The rollers 7, 8, 9 and 10 are positioned so that the distance between the inner runs diminishes uniformly in the direction from top to bottom to gently compress the tobacco pieces into a lightly compacted mass. The belts 5 and 6 are preferably driven at different rates. The tobacco is extruded at the opening between the lower extremities of the belts. As the slightly compacted tobacco is extruded, thin layers of it are severed successively by the microtome, designated generally as 11, in shingled array 12 on a web of cigarette paper 13 which is drawn oif a supply reel 14 by a continuoils belt 15 operating over rollers 16 and 1']. The shingled tobacco and the underlying paper are drawn immediately into conventional cigarette forming apparatus 18, and the individual cigarettes are severed by the rotating knife 19 in a manner well known in the art.

In a preferred embodiment, the length of the opening between the belts at the output between them is about four inches long and three-eighths of an inch wide. The speed of rotation of the cutting element should be such that it travels at a rate of from about 300 to about 600 linear feet per second.

The microtome 11 comprises a rotatable disc 20, carrying preferably three or more cutting means. The cutting means may be, for instance, discs such as 21, 22 and 23. The disc 20 is rotated at between 4,000 and 20,000 revolutions per minute, preferably between about 5,000 and about 15,000. Depending upon the speed of rotation, the number of cutting discs, such as 21, 22 and 23, should be sufficient to sever from approximately 30,000 to 60,000 slices per minute, preferably about 45,000 per minute. The cutting discs 21, 22 and 23 are preferably rotatable through gearing connected to the driving means for disc 20, both not shown.

As shown in FIG. 2, instead of rotatable circular discs, microtome 11 having fixed sickle knives 24, 25 and 26, secured to disc 30 and, as shown in FIG. 3, microt-ome 11 having triangular shaped cutting elements 27, 28 and 29, secured to disc 31 may be employed.

In operation, the cutting is performed without actual contact between the cutting elements 21 through 29 and the tobacco. According to one explanation, the cutting is performed by pressure produced by a layer of air between the cutting element, moving at very high speed, and the material which is severed. It is considered that the layer exerts great pressure on the material, setting up a stress plane within the material which causes the severance without actual contact with the cutting element. When operating at the higher rate of about 600 linear feet per second, there are no deposits of gums or juices on the cutting elements or other machine parts. Further, the cutting element requires only infrequent resharpening or replacement and the machine operates for long periods without having to be shut down for maintenance.

One of the important aspects of the invention is the conformation of the tobacco in the cigarette. Each separate layer of tobacco shreds which is produced is approximately four inches long. The mechanism is preferably operated at such a speed as to produce about 3,000 cigarettes a minute. This results in about 15 slices, or layers being disposed in shingled array in each cigarette. In order to illustrate the shingling in FIG. 1, the slices have been greatly enlarged. The individual layers are necessarily quite thin. Notwithstanding, each layer is a relatively loosely compacted mass, the microtome severs it cleanly and deposits each layer as an individual discrete unit, with the greater portion of its lower surface overlying the last preceding deposited layer. Each of the layers, as mentioned, comprises a larger proportion of the desirable long shreds, and a smaller proportion of fine and small broken fragments, than heretofore obtainable by any known method of cigarette manufacture practiced in the industry. Further, .as explained heretofore, the practice of the present invention produces a cigarette which is uniformly well packed.

Another important advantage is that the invention will probably obviate or greatly reduce the need for the trimrnmg mechanism and density control mechanism now being widely employed in the industry. This density control mechanism, including upstream and downstream beta gauges and other density measuring means and interconnections between them and trimming and other means for regulating the packing of tobacco in the cigarette rod, is proliferating to the extent that it is becoming a major item of expense in cigarette manufacture. Since the cause of the irregularity in packing is due in large measure to the quantities of fine, dust, and small broken particles resulting from current methods of manufacture, it is considered that their reduction will greatly minimize the need for the tobacco density measuring and control equipment.

As a result of following the procedure described in the foregoing, the tobacco, projected through the opening between the belts, in the form of a loosely compacted mass of tobacco pieces, is severed intermittently at high speed as it emerges and is acted upon by the high speed cutting element. A succession of generally rectangular thin prisms of tobacco is deposited on the moving belt in shingled array. Each of the rectangular prisms consists of shredded tobacco. The shreds vary in length, but because of the unusual properties of the cutting element actuated at the inordinate speeds used in the present invention, and because there is substantially less breakage resulting from the present process, the shredded tobacco contains a significantly smaller amount of fine and short shreds and is free from dust.

It has been found that when operating the cutting elements at speeds ranging upward from about 300 linear feet per second, the machine exhibits unusual properties. It is theorized that the cutting is performed by the effect of the high pressure of a layer of air between the cutting element and the tobacco without actual contact between the cutting element per se and the tobacco. This is supported by experiments carried out with a machine operating at high speed in vacuum. When cutting was attempted in vacuum at high speed the cutting elements disintegrated. Because of this cutting by the effect of air pressure rather than by the cutting elements per se, the cutting elements may remain continuously in operation without the necessity for resharpening. In shredding as currently performed in the industry it is generally required to shut down the machine to resharpen the blades after about twenty minutes operation.

It has been found further that when operating the cutting elements at a linear speed ranging upward from about 550 linear feet per second, there is no deposit of juices, gums, resins and/or other material, on the machine or on its parts, particularly on the cutting elements. Such materials are exuded from the tobacco and deposited on the cutting elements and other machine parts where the tobacco is shredded at the lower speeds currently employed in shredding tobacco in the industry.

What is claimed is:

1. A cigarette making machine including a vertically disposed feeding device having an opening at the lower end thereof for the discharge of a stream of shredded tobacco therethrough, a horizontally arranged linear conveyor positioned below said discharge opening, means for depositing said stream of shredded tobacco from said discharge opening onto said conveyor comprising, a horizontally moving cutting device positioned between said discharge opening and said moving conveyor, said cutting device having a cutting element adapted to be moved repeatedly so as to traverse the stream of shredded tobacco as it is discharged from said opening, cutting the same into increments and imparting to each increment a component of motion in the direction of movement of said conveyor whereby tobacco deposited on said conveyor comprises a series of substantially equal successive layers forming a shingled array, and means for forming a cigarette rod from the tobacco on the conveyor, and to cut the same into individual cigarettes.

2. A cigarette making machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said cutting device includes a disc having a plurality of mutually spaced cutting elements mounted thereon, said cutting elements being arranged to extend beyond the periphery of said disc, and means for rotating said disc so that said elements traverse said discharged shredded tobacco stream in sequence.

3. A cigarette making machine as defined in claim 2, wherein said disc is circular and said cutting elements are mounted adjacent the periphery thereof and are arranged to be rotated with respect to said disc as said disc rotates thereby causing said elements to successively traverse said tobacco discharge stream.

4. The cigarette making machine as defined in claim 1 including a cigarette wrapper tape, means fdr locating said wrapper tape on the linear conveyor and for moving said tape in conjunction therewith, whereby the cut tobacco is deposited directly upon said wrapper tape,

References'Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 23,132 3/1859 Warner 56295 1,536,216 5/1925 Heyman 13l-84 X 1,721,117 7/1929 Hopkins 131-84 X 2,529,797 11/1950 Cauble 56295 2,747,580 5/1956 Neumair 13181 X 2,902,814 9/1959 Lewis et a1 56295 3,028,717 4/1962 West 56-25.4

FOREIGN PATENTS 826,914 1/1938 France.

8,316 4/ 1908 Great Britain.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH S. RElCH, Examiner. 

1. A CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE INCLUDING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED FEEDING DEVICE HAVING AN OPENING AT THE LOWER END THEREOF FOR THE DISCHARGE OF A STREAM OF SHREDDED TOBACCO THERETHROUGH, A HORIZONTAL ARRANGED LINEAR CONVEYOR POSITIONED BELOW SAID DISCHARGE OPENING, MEANS FOR DEPOSITING SAID STREAM OF SHREDDED TOBACCO FROM SAID DISCHARGE OPENING ONTO SAID CONVEYOR COMPRISING, A HORIZONTALLY MOVING CUTTING DEVICE POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID DISCHARGE OPENING AND SAID MOVING CONVEYOR, SAID CUTTING DEVICE HAVING A CUTTING ELEMENT ADAPTED TO BE MOVED REPEATEDLY SO AS TO TRANSVERSE THE STREAM OF SHREDDED TOBACCO AS IT IS DISCHARGE FROM SAID OPENING, CUTTING THE SAME INTO INCREMENTS AND IMPARTING TO EACH INCREMENT A COMPONENT OF MOTION IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID CONVEYOR WHEREBY TOBACCO DEPOSITED ON SAID CONVEYOR COMPRISES A SERIES OF SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL SUCCESSIVE LAYERS FORMING A SHINGLED ARRAY, AND MEANS FOR FORMING A CIGARETTE ROD FROM THE TOBACCO ON THE CONVEYOR, AND TO CUT THE SAME INTO INDIVUDUAL CIGARETTES. 